


Lessons

by Musogato



Category: The Daevabad Trilogy - S. A. Chakraborty
Genre: Empire of Gold speculation, F/M, just them being cute, kingdom of copper spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:48:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23400346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musogato/pseuds/Musogato
Summary: Nahri takes Ali to see her old Cairo home, then tries to teach him some of her old tricks.
Relationships: Nahri e-Nahid/Alizayd al Qahtani
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	1. Old Life

“So this is where you lived?” Ali asked, looking at the remains of a small stall. It sat abandoned; ragged sheets and crushed stones strewn about. Rumors that a witch hexed it were whispered by neighbors as he and Nahri had approached. That it had been destroyed by some beast that left scars still visible in the old stone road. No one’s gone near it since.

“It is.” Nahri walked up to it, both pride and dismay in her expression. “I had a secret spot under the floor to hide my earnings. The rent and bribes to stay here were terrible, but it was mine.” She looked at the weather-worn fabric, faded by the intense sunlight. “I’d hold zars, and sell amulets, and meet marks before I…” 

She paused, glancing at Ali uncertain. He looked back at her, his expression neutral. “Conned them?” He suggested. He smiled faintly. “I'm sure you were hard to resist.”

She held his gaze for a moment before looking back down at her old home. She thought of the basha, and how easily she had manipulated him into leaving his home full of riches unguarded. She frowned. “Still think of me as a light now?”

Ali didn't hesitate. “You’re resourceful, and brilliant, and brave. How could I ever think less of you?”

Emotion swept Nahri’s face for a moment before she blinked it back. Ali stepped closer, taking in the old neighborhood and this small destroyed corner. “It must have been difficult, surviving on your own.”

“It was.”

They stood quiet for a moment, the sounds of carts and distant conversations carrying on the wind.

“Was I a mark too?” He whispered, eyes locked on the floor.

Nahri looked at him, guilt blooming in her eyes. “Ali…”

He smiled faintly at her again. “It’s fine. You’re not the first to take advantage of this fool.” He bent down and picked something from the rubble. “But is it safe to say that I’m no longer one?”

Nahri pursed her lips. “A mark… or a fool?” 

Ali chuckled. “I think we both know one of those will always apply.”

Nahri smirked before turning serious. “And I should think the amount of times I’ve saved you would answer any concerns about the other.”

Ali exhaled and then rose. “Good. Because I do believe you owe me a lesson.” He held out his hand, revealing a damaged but still capable metal lock in his palm. 

Nahri huffed to hide her laugh, her sharp eyes glittering. “Fine. But let’s get some karkade and feteer first. There’s a shop down the street.”

“We don’t have any money,” Ali reminded, patting the empty pockets of his borrowed robe. 

Nahri bumped his shoulder with a grin as she turned away. “Then you shall get two lessons today. Better keep up!”


	2. Pickpocketing for Fools

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nahri tries to teach Ali how to pickpocket. It goes about as well as you'd expect.

"Make sure you're watching carefully, alright?" 

Ali nodded from the shaded wall he leaned against as Nahri stepped into the busy Cairo street. Tourists and merchants lined the area, selling various foods and wares. Nahri walked toward a man wearing a fine turban and robe, then stumbled as he neared. The man caught her shoulder, and she raised her hand to her forehead as though she were dizzy. They exchanged a few words before Nahri dipped her head and the man continued onward. She waited a moment before meanderingly making her way back to Ali.

"Did you see it?" She asked quietly, adjusting her veil as she leaned against the wall next to him. 

Ali bit his lip. "I saw you bump into him."

"Yes. And?" 

"You looked dizzy?" Ali answered unsure. Nahri touched her forehead and sighed loudly. 

Turning her head to glare at him, she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small coin purse. She gave it a slight shake as Ali's eyes widened. 

"Honestly, Ali, this is the fourth time. You can't keep getting distracted by the misdirection!" She chided. 

"Sorry. You're-- it's-- distracting." He mumbled with a wince. Nahri slid the purse back into her sleeve with a huff. 

"Forget it. Let's take a break, I'm getting hungry." 

She began to walk away. 

"Nahri," Ali called out gently, causing her to pause. "You need to return that."

She spun on her heels to face him, frustration twisting her face. "We're not going to afford the food if you keep saying that!" 

"Because it's stolen!" Ali argued back with a frown. "We can earn the money another way."

"Oh, really? And how does the invisible man intend to do that?" Nahri crossed her arms beneath her chador and gave him a sharp look. 

Before Ali could answer, a sudden shiver crept over the back of her neck and she glanced across the street. One of the merchants was staring at her with a suspicious frown. Ali followed her gaze then stepped forward to hide her from view. Nahri rolled her eyes at the gesture and turned around. 

"Time to find another spot." She said under her breath, already leading the way toward a side street. Ali gave the merchant one more look before catching up to Nahri. They passed a stall selling reed baskets and an idea sparked in his head. 

"Do you remember those street performers a couple streets back?" he asked, stepping beside her. "What if we did something like that? To earn money." He clarified, as Nahri arched an eyebrow at him. "I could make things appear as though they are floating."

Nahri turned the corner and waited until a small group passed by them, then looked up at him. "My dear sheikh, are you proposing a _con_?" She smirked at him though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Have I corrupted you so quickly?"

Ali glanced away, heat rushing to his cheeks. "N-no. And it's not technically a con if the goal is to provide entertainment."

"Uh-huh. There's just one problem with your plan." She pinched the sleeve of his light brown robe, borrowed from Yaqub after his own blood-stained clothes had been discarded. "Once you're holding something, it seems to disappear. Having a crowd staring at you wouldn't be wise either, in case _you do_ appear." Her eyes swept his appearance appraisingly. Although he had wrapped his turban in the Ayaanle style to hide his peaked ears, it couldn't entirely cover Suleiman's seal. The silver star design peaked out from the edge on his right temple, looking otherworldly against the shine of his pureblooded skin. 

Ali glanced up and took a double-take. "There he is!" 

Nahri turned to see the robed man she had just stolen the coin purse from. He was across the street and had stopped at a stand selling charms and necklaces. It didn't seem like he knew his money was gone, but he'd realize soon enough.

"If you want it returned so badly, then you do it." She said, looking back at Ali. He was already shaking his head. 

"I couldn't follow what you were doing, I'll get caught. And with Suleiman's law, I shouldn't even be trying."

"It's simple." She gritted her teeth, losing her patience. Her eyes darted to the side of his turban, confusion rippling across her face. "You just… wait for or create a distraction…" she said quietly, her fingers reaching up to touch the fabric. 

Ali glanced up in an attempt to see what was on his turban, and felt the barest brush against his robe. He looked back down at Nahri. She was giving him a tired smirk while holding her other hand up, his metal lock balanced between her fingers. 

"Then reach into their pocket while their attention is elsewhere." Nahri tossed the lock into the air and Ali caught it with a scowl. "Now it's your turn."

Ali froze. "What?" 

Nahri sighed, pulling the coin purse from her sleeve. "Look, I'll even make it easy for you." She wedged the small purse into her belt by her hip, the coins causing it to hang over the edge awkwardly. "There. All you have to do is distract me and grab it." 

She stared up at him in open challenge. "Go on then. Distract me."

Ali blinked at her in stunned silence. He glanced down at the purse bulging from her waist and swallowed. He looked over at the man across the street. He seemed interested in a necklace, nodding in time with the seller's explanation as he held it out. Ali looked back at Nahri, who raised her eyebrows when he caught her gaze. 

"Y-you know," he stammered, "I asked to learn lock-picking, not pickpocketing." 

"You did. But your reasoning that lock-picking could help against enemies applies to pickpocketing too. And we'll need every advantage we can get."

Ali frowned as Nahri took a quick glance across the street. 

"Running out of time..." She warned. When she glanced back, Ali had taken a trembling step closer. Nahri bit back a smile. "Breathe, Ali."

A cry from across the street caught their attention. "It's gone!" The robed man shouted. 

Before he could rethink it, Ali grabbed the purse from Nahri's belt and dashed into the other street. 

The man had stepped back from the stall and was stamping his foot enraged, face reddened from cursing. Ali swiveled around him and despite a plan to push the coin purse into the man's robe, he tossed it at him instead. It bounced off the man's belly and fell to the ground with a loud thunk. 

Watching from the side street, Nahri groaned. "Idiot," she hissed when he glanced back at her in panic. 

The robed man stopped flailing. He stared at the coin purse, breathing heavily. "What?" He growled. He snatched it up with an angry flourish, and then to Ali's horror, glared up at him. 

Ali took a half-step back before giving him a twitching smile. "P-peace be upon you?"

The man's face broke into a wide grin as he slapped Ali's shoulder. "Did you get my money back from that wretched thief?" 

Ali smiled weakly in response, trying not to catch the eye of the vendor who stared at him with open confusion. 

The robed man opened the purse and quickly counted the coins inside. "And nothing was taken, God be praised." He took out some dirhams and stuffed the purse back into his robe. "For your efforts, brother!" He grabbed Ali's wrist and forced the coins into his palm. 

Ali's jaw dropped. "I-- Thank you." 

The man opened his mouth as if to say more but then froze, staring at Ali's face. Eyes locking to a spot on his temple, confused horror swept his expression. "What.. _What is that?_ " 

Ali clapped a hand over Suleiman's seal and took a step back. More people had begun to draw near, whispering about his height and the strange gleam of his skin. 

Ali rushed a salaam and pushed through the crowd back toward the side-street. Nahri stood in the shadows with a grimaced expression, flicking her hand at Ali to hurry. 

The man saw her and shouted. "Thief!" 

Eyes wide, she turned and fled. Quickly catching up, Ali followed her lead through various roads and shortcuts until they reached a quiet back-alley. Nahri checked to make sure they weren't followed as Ali leaned against the wall to catch his breath. He slid to the ground as she walked toward him. 

"Looks like we lost them." She knitted her brows at him. "Are you okay?" 

He nodded, one hand held to his heart. "Just... a little tired." He raised his other hand up to her, revealing the coins. "Can afford lunch now." He rasped. "No stealing required."

Nahri shook her head at him with a bemused smile as she took the coins. She considered telling him that returning goods they stole to gain a reward was a con in itself, but he smiled to himself in a way he hadn’t for so long, that she lost the heart to. Instead, she bent down and placed a palm on his forehead. She sent a small burst of healing magic through him, and he sighed in relief. 

"Come on, let's go eat." She stood up and held her hand out. Ali grabbed it and pulled himself up. 

“Did I ever tell you about how my pickpocketing helped Yaqub get a family heirloom back after it was stolen?” Nahri asked, as they walked out of the alley together.

“No. What happened?”

“Well… It was a few months after he had moved in, and…”


	3. The Criminal Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ali puts his new skills to the test.

Ali closed his eyes, his face scrunching as he focused his hearing on the small lock before him. He had a narrow hairpin wedged into the keyhole and had managed to lift one of the mechanism's cylinders, but the others were proving more difficult. He sighed and opened his eyes as a group of loud men walked by. 

Stretched out on his stomach on a questionably acquired blanket, he and Nahri had found a spot hidden by a cluster of palms after grabbing their lunch. Ali had wanted to eat in the cafe, eager to people-watch and maybe learn a new coffee-making technique, but Nahri wouldn't have it. So instead they were out here. She sat nearby, leaning against a palm trunk and enjoying the last of the feteer. He snuck a glance at her and saw her smile wistfully as she listened to the remnants of the men's conversation. Despite everything that had happened, she looked more relaxed here than he had ever seen her in Daevabad. 

Dread flared in his chest at the mention. He forced his gaze back onto the lock, pushing the darkness down with a rough swallow. _I'm still recovering. I can't help anyone if I'm dead. It's okay to enjoy my time here because I'll never see it again._ He repeated the lines Nahri had scolded him with the day before until his breathing evened out; not seeing the lock before him, nor Nahri as she moved closer. 

"Hey," she called out uneasily, and Ali's eyes darted to hers. The wistful expression had been replaced with a concerned one, and Ali suddenly realized how intense he must look. 

He smiled weakly, and held the lock out to her. "This is trickier than it looks. Can you show me again?" 

Nahri studied his face for a moment before nodding slightly. She took the lock and sat beside him, folding her legs beneath her. She held the lock low so he could see, and maneuvered the hairpin. In a moment the lock popped open. 

"You were close this time. You just need to keep working it until you release all the pins. Think of it like… Arranging scrolls. You gotta go back and fix some until they're all lined up."

She re-engaged the lock and held it out for him. He took it, his fingers clumsily grazing hers. 

"It's, uh, rather different from breaking enchanted locks." He said haltingly, staring at the metal frame. 

Nahri paused, shifting to give him a curious look. "You can break _enchanted_ locks?" 

Ali looked up at her, slightly surprised. "Of course. It's one of the first things we're taught at the Ci-" he paused, a shadow crossing his face. He swallowed, face drawn. "The Citadel." He finished quietly. 

Nahri frowned softly. "Oh." 

"Yeah." Ali paused again, his expression in flux. After a moment he sniffed and continued. "If you're not careful, touching the enchanted object can burn you, or send you flying across the room. Cadets learn a variety of spells to break them."

Nahri sat back as Ali concentrated on the lock in his hands. He maneuvered the hairpin again, waiting until he heard the first weight click into place. 

"Bir Nabat's entrance has something similar, to keep out any wandering humans." His gaze softened, remembering his old village. Another cylinder lifted with a click and Ali snapped to attention. He focused on the lock as Nahri leaned in, and after a few more moments of moving the hairpin, the lock sprung open. 

"I did it!" Ali beamed, flashing a grin up at her. 

Nahri smirked at his excitement. "Not bad. Better than your pickpocketing at any rate." 

She grabbed the pin from his hand and slightly lifted her headscarf to slide it back into her hair. "I'll make a criminal out of you yet, al Qahtani." He watched her movements, saying nothing. 

"Now we just need to get you a pin," she said, her eyes sweeping over him. "Not sure where you'd keep it though. Hidden in your belt?" 

A clatter of voices erupted from the restaurant nearby, and they looked up to see people rushing towards it. Over the gathering crowd they could hear shouts of _naar._

Before Nahri could offer a sarcastic word to Ali, he was already on his feet and rushing past her. She sighed, glancing up at the thin gray smoke that wisped out of the windows, and the _very_ distracted crowd of onlookers. She pursed her lips to hide her smile, her eyes scanning them in assessment. 

Ali meanwhile used his height to look over the crowd as he neared. He spotted a window that opened onto the alley and was relatively unblocked. He hurried over to it, his eyes swirling black as he expanded his senses for all nearby water, ignoring the spark of pain in his heart. There were covered pots inside of the cafe kitchen, bright and clear in his mind. He vaulted over the window ledge and then paused confused. A series of stovetops sizzled and smoked but there was no fire. Instead there was a large Egyptian woman gesturing and shouting obscenities at a cowering man, her accent and creativity too advanced for Ali to completely follow. Deciding his help was not needed, he glanced around the shop in awe of the decor and supplies. He absently reached for a nearby chair, wanting nothing more than to sit and--

See the dozens of eyes blindly staring through him as they watched the head chef upbraid her probably soon-to-be-fired employee. Ali slowly withdrew his hand and edged for the window. Back outside, he weaved past the outer skirt of the crowd, looking for Nahri. Dodging between two men, he caught sight of their empty blanket. He paused, frowning.

Suddenly remembering who he was dealing with and the lessons she had just spent the day teaching him, he looked back at the crowd. There were several women in black abayas and headscarves watching the commotion, but he recognized Nahri immediately. Standing close to the crowd with her back to him, Ali watched as her hand briefly slipped into the pocket of the man in front of her. Within a few seconds her hand withdrew and deposited her prize into her other sleeve. Ali's jaw dropped. He stepped forward, ready to confront her, when he stopped. 

Pickpocketing _could_ be a useful skill to know in the right situations. Actually being able to do it in a dangerous one could make all the difference. _And, maybe, the look on Nahri's face when she realized her stolen goods had been returned might be fun to see._

He pursed his lips and snuck another glance at her. She was distracted; her gaze flicking over the crowd for her next target. Now was his chance. 

He took a breath and quietly approached her. Years in the Citadel had trained him to move as silent as a cat, and the noise and swell of the crowd masked him further. He slipped beside her and crouched low, staying in her blindspot. 

Her arm with the stolen coin purse was kept close to her stomach, held up so the treasure wouldn't fall out of her sleeve. This near, he could even see the bulge in the fabric from where the coin purse lay. ...As well as the rise and fall of the fabric from her breathing. 

_THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA._ His mind screamed. _But didn't Nahri want him to learn this? Hadn't she explained the value in it?_ He glanced up once more, using his peripheral vision to see where Nahri's attention was. Her gaze had locked onto someone up ahead. He swallowed. _It's now or never._

He raised a shaking hand. Her sleeves were wide, but, _this was such a bad idea._ He bit his lip to still his trembling as his fingers slid below her wrist. He inched forward, careful to not brush her arm with his knuckles, until he touched a rougher fabric, and could feel solid edges like coins. His fingers closed around it and with a nervous inhale he began to withdraw his arm. 

Just as his wrist was pulling through, her hand clamped onto him with frightening force. He bit into his lip to muffle his surprised yelp and tasted blood. 

"Oh, Ali…" Nahri's voice called out softly, with an undercurrent of annoyance. "What are you doing?" 

He glanced up to meet her gaze. She was staring at him with a flushed, calmly blank expression that he knew was anything but. He opened his mouth but the crash of shame and apologies canceled out any coherent words. He closed his mouth with an embarrassed grimace. 

"Did you think I wouldn't notice someone's _hand_ in my clothing?" 

Heat rushed into Ali's face with such speed, she wondered if his skin would start smoking like that kitchen. A strangled sound came from his throat and he dropped his gaze. 

She clicked her tongue and dropped into a crouch so she could be eye-level with him. She was still grasping his wrist, which had begun to tremble to the point that the coins in the purse were clinking into a rather nice melody. She sighed.

"You're caught, so let go of the goods. Lesson one." 

Ali's closed eyes flinched and he dropped the purse, its landing causing her sleeve to swing. Nahri eased her grip on his wrist but didn't let go. 

"You waited until I was distracted before trying to take it, that was good. But you made some rookie mistakes." She tapped her finger on his trapped wrist. "One, you took too long. Distractions only work for a few moments at best. 

"Two, sleeves are tricky. You not only have to avoid the arm inside" --she tilted his wrist so his hand bumped against the sleeve fabric-- "you have to avoid the body around it. Like my stomach, which you brushed the _entire time_."

Ali's eyes snapped open at that, and Nahri had to suppress a laugh at his mortified expression. She released his wrist and he quickly withdrew it to cover his face. 

"I am so sorry," he mumbled through his palms. "I will throw myself into the river." 

Nahri stood up with a bemused snort. "How about we go sit down instead." She flicked his shoulder and walked back to their blanket. After a few long moments and an agonized groan that startled several of the humans around him, Ali eventually joined her. 

He sat on the far edge of the blanket, eyes cast down and cheeks still colored from embarrassment. After a few awkward moments, he spoke. "I apologize for the inappropriateness of my actions. But…" he cleared his throat and glanced up at her. "Are you going to return it?" 

Nahri looked at him blankly. "Return what?" 

Ali leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I saw you steal from that man!" Ali nodded toward the crowd. "You have his coin purse." 

Nahri frowned and crossed her arms. "So?" 

Ali widened his eyes. " _Nahri_. They're humans. We shouldn't be stealing from them."

" _These ones can afford it_ _!"_ she muttered in aggravation. "Can you not let this go? After I dragged your unconscious ass through the Nile and took care of you for days while you slept? Do you not owe me something in return?"

Ali swallowed, his gaze falling to the floor. "I do not think all the gold in Egypt would be enough to repay my debt to you," he said quietly. 

_Well the gold in this purse would be a nice start,_ Nahri wanted to say, but the defeated expression on Ali's face made her stay. Forcing him to choose between his morals and his debt to her somehow made her stomach sour. 

She scowled in response and looked over her shoulder, calling to the man she had stolen from. Ali watched in surprise as the man turned to look at her. "You dropped this!" She called out and tossed the coin purse to him. "You should be more careful."

He patted his pockets in shock and then picked it up. "Thank you, child." He said, checking inside of the purse.

Nahri nodded and smiled expectantly. The man turned and left. Her smile dropped. 

She turned back and glared at Ali. "Why did you get a reward and I didn't?" Ali shrugged in quiet confusion in response. Nahri growled. "Was going to buy books with that. Guess I'll just barter more of your khanjar's emeralds."

Ali's eyes flicked up to hers and he opened his mouth. But before he could get a word out, the adhan had begun. He clenched his teeth and waited for it to end while Nahri busied herself by keeping her attention everywhere else. When the call finally ended, Ali caught her gaze. _"What?"_

Nahri looked back at him innocently. "What?" 

Ali wasn't buying it. "You said something about my khanjar."

Nahri pointed upwards. "No, I thought it was fajr. But then I remembered we just had lunch."

They stared at each other for a long moment. Ali's glare was incredulous but his silence meant he couldn't disprove her ridiculous line. Nahri kept her face completely blank until finally Ali sighed and looked away. 

Smiling in victory, she stood up. "There's a mosque not far from here. Would you like me to sneak you in?" 

Ali glanced up at her warily. "I thought you said it was too risky for me to go inside?" 

Nahri shrugged, readjusting her chador. "Everything is a risk with you. But you probably need it after today."

Ali snorted but said nothing else. He stood and shook out the blanket before folding it up. "Where does this go?" He asked. Nahri glanced at the row of shops, then pointed to the one with the blue curtain. They walked together along the street, Nahri pausing as Ali quickly placed it on a table inside. 

"I would definitely be going hungry if I followed your rules." Nahri said aloud as Ali rejoined her. He waited a moment until he could no longer hold back his smile. 

"Not necessarily," he replied, holding out two cardamom candies. She gaped at Ali as she snatched one from his palm. "Ali! How could you?" 

He laughed and popped the other candy into his mouth. 

They walked quietly, enjoying the sweetly spiced taste and the bustle of Cairo's streets. Nahri narrowed her eyes, the memory of that shop returning to her. 

"This was a free sample, wasn't it."

"Maybe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The END. 💗 Thank you for reading my fics! I think this is the end of my Cairo series, but I have other stuff on the way. And if you enjoyed these, please support the author and buy The Empire of Gold novel! It is very… well-formed. ❤️💖💙
> 
> Also, because I can, here's a bonus after-credits scene for later that night:  
> Nahri, lying awake in bed, staring up at the ceiling as she remembers Ali's pickpocketing attempt: _He's a friend he's a friend he's a friend he's a friend…_  
>  Ali, asleep on the cushion next to hers: *breathes*  
> Nahri: *panic increases*


End file.
